Tuesday, August 11, 2026
LIVEThe Unrelenting Cyber Battle: Hacking Threats and the Imperative of Robust Data Protection///Navigating the Cyber Labyrinth: Bolstering Defenses Against Evolving Hacking Threats///The Dual Front War: Battling Hacking and Bolstering Data Protection in the Digital Age///The Ever-Evolving Cyber Threat Landscape: Navigating Hacking and Fortifying Data Protection///The Unseen Battle: Fortifying Data in an Age of Relentless Hacking///The Unseen War: Hacking's Relentless Advance and the Imperative of Data Protection///The Evolving Threat Landscape: Hacking, Data Protection, and the Imperative for Proactive Security///Navigating the Digital Minefield: Bolstering Data Protection in an Era of Relentless Hacking///The Dual Fronts of Digital Defense: Combating Hacking and Fortifying Data Protection///Hacking's New Frontier: Fortifying Data Protection in the Age of Advanced Cyber Threats///The Dual Front: Navigating Hacking Threats and Fortifying Data Protection in the Digital Age///Navigating the Digital Gauntlet: The Evolving Nexus of Hacking and Data Protection///The Unrelenting Cyber Battle: Hacking Threats and the Imperative of Robust Data Protection///Navigating the Cyber Labyrinth: Bolstering Defenses Against Evolving Hacking Threats///The Dual Front War: Battling Hacking and Bolstering Data Protection in the Digital Age///The Ever-Evolving Cyber Threat Landscape: Navigating Hacking and Fortifying Data Protection///The Unseen Battle: Fortifying Data in an Age of Relentless Hacking///The Unseen War: Hacking's Relentless Advance and the Imperative of Data Protection///The Evolving Threat Landscape: Hacking, Data Protection, and the Imperative for Proactive Security///Navigating the Digital Minefield: Bolstering Data Protection in an Era of Relentless Hacking///The Dual Fronts of Digital Defense: Combating Hacking and Fortifying Data Protection///Hacking's New Frontier: Fortifying Data Protection in the Age of Advanced Cyber Threats///The Dual Front: Navigating Hacking Threats and Fortifying Data Protection in the Digital Age///Navigating the Digital Gauntlet: The Evolving Nexus of Hacking and Data Protection///
Subscribe
Cyber Security
Independent · Digital
Thehackingpost
RSSSubscribe
CybersecurityAI-assisted

Splunk RCE Vulnerability Exposes Systems to Arbitrary Shell Command Execution by Attackers

A high-severity Remote Command Execution (RCE) vulnerability has been identified in Splunk Enterprise and Splunk Cloud Platform, posing significant security risks.

JBy Joseph CainMar 13, 20261 min read

A high-severity Remote Command Execution (RCE) vulnerability has been identified in Splunk Enterprise and Splunk Cloud Platform, posing significant security risks.

Designated as CVE-2026-20163 with a CVSS score of 8.0, this vulnerability enables unauthorized execution of shell commands on the host operating system.

Classified under CWE-77, the flaw underscores the risks associated with improper input neutralization in enterprise software.

The vulnerability is located within the platform's REST API, specifically at the /splunkd/__upload/indexing/preview endpoint.

When files are uploaded to Splunk, a preview occurs before database indexing. During this preview phase, a parameter called unarchive_cmd is used.

Due to inadequate sanitization of input to this parameter, attackers can inject shell commands. The system may execute these commands during file processing.

Designated as CVE-2026-20163 with a CVSS score of 8.0, this vulnerability enables unauthorized execution of shell commands on the host operating system.
Joseph Cain · Thehackingpost

Exploitation requires access to a user account with the edit_cmd capability. Though standard users cannot exploit this, a compromised administrator account could lead to server takeover.

This vulnerability affects multiple versions of both on-premises and cloud deployments. Administrators should verify their versions against the affected list:

Splunk Enterprise 10.0: Versions 10.0.0 through 10.0.3 Splunk Enterprise 9.4: Versions 9.4.0 through 9.4.8 Splunk Enterprise 9.3: Versions 9.3.0 through 9.3.9 Splunk Cloud Platform: Versions below 10.2.2510.5, 10.0.2503.12, 10.1.2507.16, and 9.3.2411.24

The Splunk Enterprise 10.2 component is not affected by this REST API flaw.

Advertisement

Administrators should prioritize patching to mitigate potential risks of arbitrary command execution.

Splunk has released security updates to address input sanitization issues across affected versions.

Upgrade Splunk Enterprise 10.0 environments to version 10.0.4. Upgrade Splunk Enterprise 9.4 environments to version 9.4.9. Upgrade Splunk Enterprise 9.3 environments to version 9.3.10. For Splunk Cloud Platform users, patches are being applied directly to hosted instances.

Based on reporting by GBHackers.

AI transparency. This article was produced with the assistance of artificial intelligence and published under human editorial oversight. AI systems can make mistakes. Read how we use AI (EU AI Act, Art. 50).
Related Stories
Cybersecurity

Why Fintech Banking Platforms Are Reducing Operational Costs by 40%

Paige Monroe · Mar 26, 2026
Cybersecurity

Dogecoin Price Prediction: SHIB Burns 172M Tokens as Pepeto Exchange Earns From Every Trade

Eric Wallace · Mar 26, 2026
Cybersecurity

Solana Price Prediction: SOL Holds $86 With Commodity Status as Pepeto Targets Bigger Returns

Zachary Burns · Mar 26, 2026
Cybersecurity

Open Directory Malware Campaign Uses Obfuscated VBS, PNG Loaders and RAT Payloads

Joseph Cain · Mar 26, 2026